Omaha artist's Sheldon show to examine beauty magazines, pop culture
Released on 08/15/2007, at 2:00 AM
Office of University Communications
University of Nebraska–Lincoln
WHEN: Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2007, through Dec. 2, 2007
WHERE: Sheldon Memorial Art Gallery, 11th and R Streets
"Bougie," an exhibition by Omaha artist Wanda Ewing exploring women and pop culture, will open Aug. 28 at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's Sheldon Memorial Art Gallery. The exhibition, which presents a series of covers from a fictional beauty magazine, will be on view through Dec. 2.
At the opening reception Aug. 28, the artist will present a slide show talk about her work at 5:30 p.m. in the Sheldon's Ethel S. Abbott Auditorium. Ewing will offer a second talk for visitors during a Sheldon Sunday gallery walk at 2 p.m. Oct. 14. Both events are free and open to the public.
Ewing, an assistant professor of art and art history at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, uses linoleum cuts and vinyl letters on acetate to create magazine covers that explore beauty and glamour and the mixed messages they send in popular culture. Her 12 color woodcuts depict a variety of women who demonstrate a giddy indifference to their objectification and defy any interpretations the media and co-conspirators in the invention of glamour choose to convey. In Ewing's words, the exhibition reflects her interest in using her work to "illustrate what life is like in contemporary society from the perspective of a black, single woman."
The magazine covers are designed to mimic popular reads like Cosmopolitan and Ebony. In addition to portraits of posed women, the covers include humorous article headlines such as "Phatty Phatty, To Die for!" and "Don't leave 'em hanging, the importance of a pedicure." Despite the degradation such media can play on women, Ewing's women rise above the pressure and become a character in their own right with full control of image.
A gallery guide will be available for visitors to the exhibition.
The exhibition is made possible by the generous support of the Lincoln Arts Council, the Nebraska Arts Council and the Nebraska Art Association.
Sheldon houses a permanent collection of more than 12,000 objects focusing on American art. The Nebraska Art Association is the dedicated nonprofit support group of the Sheldon. The museum, 12th and R streets on the UNL campus, is open to the public Tuesday through Sunday. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday, and noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday. For information or to arrange a tour, call (402) 472-2461. Additional information is available on the Sheldon Web site, www.sheldon.unl.edu.
CONTACT: Tom White, Public Relations Manager, Sheldon Art Gallery, (402) 472-1197 EDITOR: A color JPEG image of "August," a linoleum cut in "Bougie" is available for download at the University Communications FTP site (ftp://ucommxsrv1.unl.edu/downloadables/photo/20070815bougie.jpg).